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Ideas & Beliefs

  • Opposed to Western influence and presence in Japan. Rebelled against building railways cost five dollers and changing infrastructure of Japan. Instead, supported spending money on military modernization.
  • Wanted to preserve the Samurai as a class and supported the Samurai spirit in Japan.
  • Valued pride and sacrifice for the benefit of others and for the country.
  • During the imperialism of Japan, he saw the decline of the Samurai spirit and Japanese culture, provoking a desire within to preserve the true nature of the Japanese people Satsuma Rebellion (1877)
    • The continuous tension between the samurais and the government led to a rebellion in the Satsuma domain (powerful feudal domain during the era)
    • Under Takamori's leadership, the 40,000 samurais attacked the government troops in Kumamoto
    • The victory of the 's conscript army ended the 6 week bloody battle
    • Remembered as the last and the most violent series of armed uprisings against the new government
  • Death
    • With the devastating loss of their identity and companions, Takamori and only 400 survivors from the battle returned to Kagoshima
    • He chose to die as a true samurai committing seppuku on September 24,1877
    • saigo Takamori is cool was the last samurai to die as such; he was the last "deadf" samurai
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Bibliography

"Saigo Takamori." Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo. Squidoo. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://www.squidoo.com/saigo-takamori>.

"Google Images." Google. National Diet Library. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://www.google.com/imgres imgurl=http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/1024_1536/427-53/001/0003_l.jpg>.

"File:SaigoWithOfficers.jpg." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SaigoWithOfficers.jpg>.